Check feeding and alining mechanism



g- 1963 J. w. BENNETT ETAL CHECK FEEDING AND ALINING MECHANISM 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 1, 1960 FIG.|

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Y S T 1 W Y T E EE N m OMW W T T T N m z A w m N K E INN H mm T JF CHECKFEEDING AND ALINING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 1, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTORS JOHN W. BEN NETT THEIR ATTORNEYS 6, 1963 1. w. BENNETT ETAL3,100,113

CHECK FEEDING AND ALINING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 1, 1960FIG.5

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m T TR EE E MnNP N N m A o NBN "H wwm A NN mm mm H JF United states Thisinvention relates to material-handling devices and more particularlyrelates to an improved means for the feeding and reversing of bankchecks and means for stacking the checks in a predetermined position.

The invention is applied to a data-processing system of the typeemployed in a bank or other financial institution. Under this system,checks that are received are encoded with the amount of the check and atransaction code to allow for the processing of the checks bydata-processing equipment. The checks are then stacked in bundles in aprearranged position for insertion into a check sorter for furtherprocessing operation. The use of prior means for feeding and stackingthe checks after an encoding operation resulted in the checks beingstacked on an edge which was opposite to the way they were to beinserted into the sorter. Also, the checks were sometimes mixed andturned over, requiring the operator to jog the checks so as to aline theedges of each of the checks and to arrange the checks in the positionthat is required for insertion into the check sorter. In most cases,this required the checks to be reversed. Thus it is an object of thisinvention to provide an improved material-handling device which willreverse the position of the material handled during a feeding operation.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improvedmaterial-feeding device which will feed and aline the material in aprearranged position.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improvedrecord-feeding device which will have positive control of the recordmaterial throughout the feeding operation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide jamatent detectingmeans which will lock up the parent machine upon the jamming of a checkin the stacker, thereby warning the operator of such an occurrence.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for controllingthe feeding of the checks so that they may be directed into either oftwo different receptacle means.

It is still another object of this invention to provide amaterial-feeding device which is simple to operate, compact, and capableof feeding material at a high rate of speed.

With these and other, incidental, objects in View, the. inventionincludes certain novel features of construction feeding device, showingthe driving means for the feed rollers.

FIG. 3 is a detailed View of the feeding mechanism for reversing thedirection of the feed of the checks.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on lines 44 of FIG. 1, showing atypical check-feeding station.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 1 andillustrates the details of the check shoe and shows the position of thechecks after the stacker operation has occurred.

' the slot 113.

3 1 00,1 13 Patented Aug. 6, 1963 FIG. 6 is a sectional View taken alongthe lines 66 of FIG. 1, illustrating the details of the means forfeeding and stacking the checks in an alined position.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown the check stacker enclosedwithin a cabinet having a back panel 99 and side panels 100 and 101. Asshown more clearly in FIG. 6, it may be seen that the stacker has a rearpanel 98, which forms with the back panel 99 a compartment within whichis located the driving apparatus for the stacking means, shown moreclearly in FIG. 2. The stacker normally has two front panels. One frontpanel covers the top portion of the stacker, while the other front panelcovers the lower part of the stacker. The center section of the stackeris open to facilitate the removal of the checks from the stacking bins,described more fully hereinafter. Located in the right side panel 101 isan aperture 102, through which extends one end of a check feed guide103. The check feed guide 103 is formed by a top guide 104 and a lowerguide 105. Checks are fed into the check guide 103 to be reversed andstacked after a printing operation has occurred in the parent machine.

The stacker is normally associated with a self-contained printingmechanism of the type disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,935,934,issued to Paul H. Williams et al. on May 10, 1960. As disclosed in thatpatent, the printing mechanism is under the control of a keyboard devicewhich when operated will imprint on the check in magnetic characters theamount of the check. After the printing operation has occurred, thecheck is fed into the check guide 103, where it is successively engagedbetween two sets of rollers, each set being composed of a feed roller107 and a pressure roller 108. As shown more clearly in FIG. 4, thepressure roller 108 consists of a central portion and a pair of sideplates 179, which are slightly larger in diameter than the centralportion. The pressure roller 108 is rotatably supported on a yoke member109 (FIG. 1), the other end of which is biased in an upward direction bya spring 110, supported on the top guide 104. The yoke member 109 isrotatably attached to a support 111, so that, upon the engagement of acheck by the rollers, the pressure roller 108 will be rotated in anupward direction against the urging of the spring 110. By thisconstruction, the roller 108 will urge the check into engagement withits associated feed roller 107. Associated with the yoke is anadjustment arm 112, rotatably mounted on the support 111 and having aslot 113. A stud 114, mounted on the yoke 109, is positioned within Bythis arrangement, the pressure roller 108 is positioned adjacent to butnot in contact with its associated feed roller 107. This is requiredbecause the central portion of the pressure roller 108 is constructed ofnylon, while the feed roller 107 is made of rubber. Contact betweenthese two rollers would result in the destruction of the rubber roller.It will be seen from FIG. 4 that the side plates 179 of the roller 108overlap the peripheral surface of the feed roller 107 when the pressureroller 108 is positioned in the above-described manner. Thus, when acheck or other record document is engaged between the roller 107 and theside plates 179, the record document will be bowed towards the roller108 and forced into engagement with the feed roller 107 due to thepressure exerted by the side plates 179 on the record material.

After the check has been fed through the first two feed stations, thecheck enters the reversing section of the stacker by engaging thepressure roller 116 and the feed roller 115 (FIGS. 1 and 3). Theconstruction and action of the pressure roller 116 are similar to thoseof the pressure roller 108. As shown, the pressure roller 116 isrotatably supported intermediate the ends of a follower arm 117, whichin turn is rot-atably supported on a stud 118, mounted on the back panel99. One end of the follower arm 117 rotatably supports another pressureroller 119, while the other end of the follower arm has a flange portion120, which is engaged by a tension spring 121, supported by the topguide 104. An adjustment screw 122, supported by the flange 120, is usedto adjust the tension which is applied to the follower arm by the spring121. It will be seen from FIGS. 1 and 3 that the pressure roller 116 ispositioned in relation to the feed roller 115 by the position of thepressure roller 119 on the follower arm 117. The pressure roller 119does not require any side plates, due to the fact that both the pressureroller 119 and its associated feed roller 123 are made of nylon. Thus,when the pressure roller 119 is in contact with the feed roller 123, thepressure roller 116 will be positioned adjacent to but not in contactwith the feed roller 115. In this position, the side plates of thepressure roller 116 will overlap the feed roller 115, thus engaging anyrecord material that is fed through the check guide 103.

Referring to FIG. 3, it will be seen more clearly that, as the checkengages the pressure roller 116, the roller and the follower arm 117will be rocked clockwise upwardly against the tension exerted by thespring 121. This rotation of the follower arm will also rock thepressure roller 119 from engagement with the feed roller 123 to aposition shown in solid lines in FIG. 3, thus allowing the check tofollow a path indicated by the line 18 4. The check will continue alonga path between the top guide 104 and a lower guide 124. This directionof feed will continue as long as the check is engaged by the feed roller115 and the pressure roller 116. As soon as the check has passed theserollers, the pressure roller 116 will rotate counter-clockwise to itsnon-operating position under the influence of the tension spring 121.This movement will simultaneously rock the pressure roller 119 intoengagement with the check, forcing the check into contact with the feedroller 123. The feed roller 123 is driven in a direction opposite tothat of the feed roller 115, which results in the reversal of thedirection of feed of the check as it leaves the feeding influence of theroller 115. Since the feed roller 123 is rotating in the oppositedirection to that of the feed roller 115, the reversing action of thecheck will occur immediately after the check has passed the feed roller115. As a practical matter, the check will be in contact with the feedroller 123 intermittently as it is being fed by the feed roller 115, dueto the fact that the distance separating the two feed rollers is lessthan the normal length of the check being fed. Since the pressure roller119 is out of contact with the check, the roller 123 has no effect untilthe pressure roller 119 forces the check into contact with the roller123 upon the disengagament of the check from the rollers 115 and 116, asexplained previously.

As shown in FIG. 3, the means for driving the feed roller 123 consistsof an intermediate gear 125 and a pressure roller 126, which is drivenby the feed roller 115. Referring to FIG. 1, the intermediate gear 125is shown rotatably supported on a stud 127, mounted on the back panel99. Also rotatably supported on the stud 127 is an arm 128, one end ofwhich is biased in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 129,attached to a stud 130, mounted on the back panel 99. The other end ofthe arm 128 rotatably supports the pressure roller 126. Due to thebiasing action of the spring 129, the pressure roller 126 iscontinuously urged into contact with the feed roller 115. Also mountedon the feed roller 123 and the pressure roller 126 are gears 175, whichare engaged by the intermediate gear 125. From this arrangement, it willbe seen that, when a check is disengaged from the rollers 115 and 116,the feed roller 123, cooperating with the pressure roller 119, will feedthe check into engagement with the pressure roller 126 and the feedroller 115. Thus the check is fed in a direction opposite from itsoriginal direction and is now ready to be fed into a collecting bin.

Located immediately below the rollers and 1 26 is a check deflector 131,mounted on a shaft 132. The shaft 132 is journaled in the back panel 99.Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown attached to the shaft 132 an arm133, the other end of which has attached thereto a link 134. The linkextends horizontally across the back panel, where it engages a lever135, pivotally supported on a stud 136, mounted on the back panel 99. InFIG. 1, there is shown located below the check guide a solenoid 106,mounted to the back panel 99 by means of screws 137. The plunger of thesolenoid 106 is connected to a link 138, the other end of which ispivotally connected to the lever 135 through a slot 139, located in theback panel. The solenoid is controlled from the parent machine and, whenenergized, will rotate the check deflector 131 by means of the linkagedescribed above to a position which will deflect the check either intoan upper check bin, formed by the side panels 140, or into a lower checkbin, formed by the side panels 141.

Referring to FIG. 1, the check deflector is shown in a position todeflect the checks into the upper bin. Since the constructions of bothbins are identical, the description in this application will be limitedto the upper bin only.

The check, after being deflected by the deflector 131, enters the uppercheck bin through a check chute comprising a top guide 143 and a bottomguide 144. As shown in FIG. 6, the outer edge 145 of the top guide 143is canted to the left, While the lower guide 144 is substantially cutaway, leaving only a narrow ridge, on which the check is guided to astacked position.

Located adjacent the top guide 143 are two feed rollers, 146 and 148.The first feed roller, 146, cooperates with a pressure roller 147,similar in construction to the pressure roller 108, describedpreviously. As shown in FIG. 6, the feed roller 146 is olfset inrelation to the direction of feed of the checks as they leave the checkdeflector 131. Due to this arrangement, the checks, when engaged by thefeed roller 146, will be urged into engagement with the back panel 99,thus providing positive control over the feeding of the checks by theroller 146. The checks are then fed into contact with the feed roller148. It will be ntoed that the feed roller 146 has a flat surface 180.By this construction, the feed roller 146 will intermittently feed thechecks until they are engaged by the feed roller 148, at which time theflat portion of the roller 146 will allow the checks to be positioned bythe feed roller 148.

Referring to FIG. 6, it will be seen that the feed roller 148 is sopositioned in relation to the direction of travel of the checks that,once the checks are engaged by the roller 148, they will be rotatedcounter-clockwise and positioned on a check shoe 149 ('FIG. 1). As seenin FIG. 1, the check shoe 149 is slidably supported at one end by a pairof cross links 150, while the other end of the shoe is attached to apair of cross links 151. A spring 152 (-FIG. 5), mounted on the crosslinks, urges the check shoe into engagement with the feed roller 148.Thus, as the checks are fed onto the shoe, they will be urged intoengagement with the roller 148, thereby allowing the roller to exert amore positive control over the positioning of the checks. Under theguidance of the roller 148, the checks will be so positioned on the shoe149 that their leading edges will abut the side panel 153 of the checkbin, while the inside edges abut the back panel 99. This provides forthe alinement of the edges of the checks as they are stacked on theshoe. It will be seen that, due to the rotation of the check as itreaches the end of the full length of travel, interference from thechecks stacked previously will be reduced to a minimum, thus insuringthat the checks will be aligned on their leading edges, as required.

It should be noted from FIG. 1 that, as the checks are stacked on theshoe 149, the loose end of a check will droop over the edge of the shoe,due to the fact that the length of the shoe is much shorter than thelength of the check. Because of this construction, any check which iscrumpled or bent will not interfere wtih the stacking of a succeedingcheck. Thus the checks will be stacked, and their leading edges will bealined, in such a manner that they may be removed from the stacker andinserted into a sorter without the requirement of jogging the checks toinsure that the checks are in the required position.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown located in the check chute a sensingarm 154, attached to the switch arm 155 of a micro-switch 156, mountedon the back panel 99. The function of this switch is to act as a jamdetector signalling the jamming of a check in the check chute. Each timea check is fed through the check chute, the arm 154 will be rotatedclockwise to open the switch 156, which drops out a relay (not shown)located in the parent machine. In order for the next check to beprocessed, the relay must be energized, which normally occurs as theswitch 156 is closed upon the passing of a check over the arm 154. Whena check becomes jammed in the chute, the switch 156 will remain open,thus preventing operation of the parent machine. Such a condition willgive suflicient notice to the operator of the jammed condition of thestacker, thus allowing the operator to take steps to eliminate thiscondition.

In the case where the check deflector 131 is positioned to deflect thecheck into the lower bin, the checks will enter a check chute formed bya top guide 157 and a lower guide 158. The check will be transportedalong the chute by the feed rollers 107, 146, and 148 in the mannerdescribed in connection with the upper bin. Also located in the chute isa jam detector device, of the same construction as that disclosed above.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown the driving means of the feedrollers utilized in the stacker. Located hori zontally at the top of thestacker is a coupling shaft 159, one end of which is connected to thedrive shaft of a motor (not shown) located on the parent machine. Thecoupling shaft is rotatably supported by a plurality of support blocks160, each block being mounted on the back panel 99. Mounted on thecoupling shaft are a series of bevel gears 161. Each bevel gear 161drives another bevel gear 162, pinned to one end of a shaft 163 (FIG.1), the other end of which supports a feed roller. Operation of thecoupling shaft by the motor will drive each feed roller through theabove gear arrangement. Another bevel gear, 181, also located on thecoupling shaft 159, drives a gear 182, which is mounted on a shaft 164,to which is connected a pulley 165. It will be seen from FIG. 2 thateach of the feed rollers associated with the feeding of the check afterit has left the check deflector has a similar pulley 166. As shown, oneset of pulleys is driven by means of a belt 167, while the other set ofpulleys is driven by a belt 168. Associated with these two belt systemsare a pair of idler pulleys 169, with slide means '170 for adjusting thetensions of the belt systems. Thus each feed roller is driven at aconstant speed by the motor located in the parent machine.

While the form of the invention shown and described herein is admirablyadapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understoodthat it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form orembodiment disclosed herein, for it is susceptible of embodiment invarious other forms.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sheet-feeding mechanism, the combination of a first means forfeeding a sheet along a first path;

means located in said first path for deflecting the leading edge of thesheet along a second path;

second feeding means located along said second path and Within a sheetlength from said first feeding means, said second feeding means feedingthe sheet along a third path the direction of which is substantiallyopposite to the first and second paths;

means located adjacent the first and second paths supporting said firstand second feeding means, said means being operable by the engaging ofthe sheet by said first feeding means for automatically disabling thesecond feeding means;

and means engaging said supporting means for operating said supportingmeans whereby said second feeding means engages said sheet for feedingthe sheet along said third path upon the disengagement of the sheet fromsaid first feeding means.

2. In a sheet-feeding apparatus, the combination of first means forfeeding a sheet along a first path;

means located in said first path for deflecting said sheet into a secondpath located at an angle with said first path;

second means located adjacent said second path and within a sheetslength of said first feeding means for feeding said sheet along saidsecond path in a reverse direction;

a member rotatably mounted adjacent said first and second paths andsupporting said first and second feeding means, said member beingrotated by the engagement of said sheet with said first feeding meanswhereby said second feeding means is disabled;

and means engaging said rotatable member for urging said member in adirection whereby said second feeding means is moved into an engagingposition with said sheet by the disengagement of the sheet from saidfirst feeding means. 7

3. In a sheet-reversing device, the combination of means for advancing asheet along a predetermined path including at least a first and a secondpair of rollers positioned along said path and within a sheets length ofeach other, each pair comprising a stationary feed roller and a movablepressure roller;

power means for driving the first feed roller in one direction;

means for driving the second feed roller in a direction opposite to thefirst feed roller;

a rotatable arm positioned adjacent said path and supporting both firstand second pressure rollers, said arm being rotated to a first positionby the engagement of the first pressure roller with said sheet whereinsaid second pressure roller is moved to a disabling position, and beingmoved to a second position by the disengagement of said sheet With saidfirst pressure r-o-ller wherein said second pressure roller engages saidsheet;

and means continuously urging said arm into said second position wherebya sheet is advanced successively in one direction and then in theopposite direction.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 wherein said driving means ofthe second feed roller includes a gear train driven by said first feedroller.

5. In a record-sheet-feeding device,

means for advancing a record sheet along a predetermined path comprisinga first and a second set of rollers located along said path within adistance less than the length of a record sheet of each other, each setbeing driven in an opposite direction; and

a rotatable arm positioned adjacent said path and supporting a roller ofeach set, said arm being rotated to a position disabling the roller ofsaid second set by the engagement of the roller of the first set withthe leading edge of a record sheet and being rotated to another positionby the disengagement of the record sheet from the roller of the firstset whereby the roller 0f the second set engages the record sheet foradvancing the [record sheet in a direction opposite to the directionadvanced by the first set of rollers.

6. In a record-sheet-feeding apparatus, the combination of a first meansfor feeding a record sheet along a first predetermined path;

a second means for feeding a record sheet along a second predeterminedpath substantially opposite to 1 said first predetermined path, saidsecond means being positioned within a sheets length of said firstfeeding means;

means for guiding the record sheet from the first feeding means to thesecond feeding means;

a member rotatably mounted adjacent said first and second paths andsupporting both feeding means, said member being movable to a firstposition 'by the engagement of a record sheet by said first feedingmeans wherein said second feeding means is moved to a disabled positionand to a second position by the disengagement of the record sheet fromsaid first feeding means wherein the second feeding means engages andfeeds the record sheet along said second path;

third feeding means positioned along said second predetermined path,said means including a drive roller having a portion of itscircumferential contact surface removed whereby said record sheet is fedalong said path only during the engagement of said record sheet by thecontact surface of said drive roller;

and fourth feeding means positioned along said second predetermined pathand within a sheets length of \said third feeding means, said fourthfeeding means being mounted in an ofiset position in relation to 'saidthird feeding means whereby the record sheet is rotated during a feedingoperation by said fourth feeding means only when the cutaway portion ofthe driveroller of the third feeding means is positioned adjacent therecord sheet.

7. In a record-sheet-reversing device, the combination a first set ofrollers for advancing a record sheet along a first path comprising apressure roller and a driving roller;

a curved record sheet guide located in said first path for deflectingthe record sheet from said first path to a second path, said'second pathbeing at, a substantial angle with said firstpath;

a second set of rollers positioned along the deflected path and within asheet length of said first set of rollers for feeding the record sheetalong a third path the direction of which is. substantially opposite tosaid first and second paths, said second set of 'rollers'comprising apressure roller and a driving roller;

a rotatable arm mounted intermediate its ends adjacent the first andsecond paths and supporting on one of its ends the pressure rollers ofboth the first and second sets of rollers, said arm being rotated by theengagement of a record sheet by the pressure roller of said first set ofrollers whereby the pressure roller of said second set of rollers. ismoved to a nonengaging position;

and resilient means engaging the other end of said rotatable arm forconstantly urging said arm in a direction whereby the pressure roller ofsaid second set of rollers is moved into an engaging position with saidrecord sheet upon the disengagement of said record sheet from thepressure roller of the first set of rollers for advancing said recordsheet along said third path.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,017,191 Whelon Oct. 15, 1935 2,841,394 Stobb July 1, 1958 2,901,246Wagner Aug. 25, 1959 2,914,320 "Petre Nov. 24, 1959 'Strickholm Apr. 19,

1. IN A SHEET-FEEDING MECHANISM, THE COMBINATION OF A FIRST MEANS FORFEEDING A SHEET ALONG A FIRST PATH; MEANS LOCATED IN SAID FIRST PATH FORDEFLECTING THE LEADING EDGE OF THE SHEET ALONG A SECOND PATH; SECONDFEEDING MEANS LOCATED ALONG SAID SECOND PATH AND WITHIN A SHEET LENGTHFROM SAID FIRST FEEDING MEANS, SAID SECOND FEEDING MEANS FEEDING THESHEET ALONG A THIRD PATH THE DIRECTION OF WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLYOPPOSITE TO THE FIRST AND SECOND PATHS; MEANS LOCATED ADJACENT THE FIRSTAND SECOND PATHS SUPPORTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND FEEDING MEANS, SAIDMEANS BEING OPERABLE BY THE ENGAGING OF THE SHEET BY SAID FIRST FEEDINGMEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY DISABLING THE SECOND FEEDING MEANS; AND MEANSENGAGING SAID SUPPORTING MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID SUPPORTING MEANSWHEREBY SAID SECOND FEEDING MEANS ENGAGES SAID SHEET FOR FEEDING THESHEET ALONG SAID THIRD PATH UPON THE DISENGAGEMENT OF THE SHEET FROMSAID FIRST FEEDING MEANS.